At that moment, Gongol thought it was a medical emergency with a first class passenger, his instincts told him to stay seated and stay out of the way. A fourth call went out, "are there any non-revenue pilots on board, please ring your call button." Immediately, Gongol realized the pilot was the patient. He looked to his wife; as she gave him a nod, Gongol pressed his button and headed toward the flight deck. (www.afspc.af.mil) עוד...

Have you ever noticed some FO's wear 4 stripes. They were captain have been bumped back to the right seat due to furloughs. All FO's at my airline are type rated as captain. Media thinks FO's are in training or something, even my neighbor has asked me if I could land the plane if I had to. Gee, I don't know, I'm just an FO.

The other thing too that people must realize now on 121 carriers, all cockpit crew must have 1500 hrs and ATP. They may be gaining time in type or just waiting on the Captain slot to come around but they ain't no rookie.

Sometimes it depends on the weather... In the case of SWA a CAT III landing can only be done by certified captains. Their program requires HUD which is only on the captains side, therefore, if he has 2 days of CAT III landings then the captain must do all of them.... That much and extreme weather is rare. Other than REQUIRED HUD when only on the captains side, they do swap duties.

People really think the FO is just there to assist the captain and have little flying skills. That time the captain died in flight the news crews were all over the landing airport cause everyone really thought the 777 would crash due to the FO flying it. It was comical really.

33 yrs commercial Cap here_ maybe 9,000 or so on 737..Have flown lots of legs solo due to brain-dead F/O..Nonetheless_Official Attaboys to F/O & Military guy.btw_ None of the gals I flew with would give a sh8t about being awarded an Attaboyinstead of an AttaGirl_ They just liked being pilots.

haha_ Good one_btw_I luuuuuv'ed+++!!!*** you guys_Having no idea what happened except that when I pushed the throttles forward the airplane went faster_This probably confirms everything you guys thought about pilots.

I remember once working as a maintenance I had a captain to call in with an ATO at 140 kts. The FO was flying, captain called rotate and FO did not. Captain thought it was a flight control problem and aborted..... When talking to the captain, the reason for the abort was "Cockpit Communication". The FO admitted to hearing the rotate, but it did not register for some reason.

As a precaution and for legal reasons, we had a mechanic to check the a/c. Everything checked out including flight control and cockpit interphone.... I guess you could use this as an FO Brain Dead Example.

I later told the captain I am glad he had plenty of runway.... He said: "Me Too!"

Well, she asked where to taxi as she never had been to KOMA before, and if she was a true FO, she may never have. While tillers on both sides are an option, most 121's just have then on the left side. Even on legs that FO flies, the Captain taxi's to the runway and then to the gate when they get back down.

She probably did contact dispatch (if she had time), Just because UAL flies into KOMA does not mean that she has flown into that station. Looking at their flights in and out of KOMA, they only have 2 737 flights per day, the others are regionals.

Turning the steering wheel as pilots would call it is easy.. Just ask for a progressive taxi and good to go. No Problem...

I remember a conversation that I had with a pilot at one time.

capt: we are good to go.me: Captain, that problem is not defer-able.capt: why not we are willing to take the plane.me: Sir, the plane is not Airworthy!capt: I can handle it.me: Captain, would you want to choose your mountain top so that I can have rescue ready

That was a true conversation between me (maint control) and a captain full of pax).

So you're seriously telling me you feel the statement, "She had never taxied a 737 before" is accurate? Accurate. No, well if this or that. If the tiller is on the left, then the writer did a disservice to the FO by making this statement. If you want what if's I can guarantee she'd taxied a 737 in the sim...

If you read the story closely you will see that quote and statement came from Gongol, not the FO herself. All she said prior to that was asking him if he knew where to taxi, that she had never been to KOMA, nothing from her about never having taxied one. He also said they had not informed ATC that the pilot was the reason for the Emergency. She never said anything about not taxiing one. I must agree with you that she was totally qualified if she was sitting in the right seat. I stand by my statement that she may never have taxied one in real life. I am sure she did in the SIM.

"Surprisingly, taxiing was the most stressful part of the day for the first officer," said Gongol. "She had never taxied a 737 before and the ATC had no idea that the pilot was the reason for the emergency. We had to make a quick decision that her switching to the pilot's seat and taxiing the aircraft without the training was necessary to save the captain's life."

I stand by my statement that this is poor writing. It's very easy to take what the facts were, attribute quotes and give credit.

When you write and especially report, even if it's for the base paper accuracy is paramount to everything else.

Well said and to me there is a big difference in him saying it and her being quoted. I think she did a fine job. I can't say that it is easy but that tiller can be accessed from the FO side although difficult. As I said it is an option; our 767 and all previous aircraft have it. There is only 1 on our CRJ but it was way too expensive for a retrofit.

I read the comment as "I've never taxied here at Omaha before". I GUARANTEE that somewhere in her training, she's taxied a 737 around. Quite understandable that the FO might figure that a SAC bomber pilot might have taxied around the Omaha airport. He's certainly been stationed at Offutt before...

Airline FO's don't taxi, that's the Capt's responsibility and job as the tiller is on Capt's side. It's the Capt's job to taxi out and line up on the correct runway backed up by the FO. If the FO is flying that leg they take over on the runway and relinquish control back to Capt on roll out. Its common for airline pilots to alternate flying every other flight. In corp world our pilots actually trade seats and usually alternate each flying day but they also fly a lot less than airline pilots in total hours and hours/day.

Keep in mind that a large amount of women voted for the current Condom-In-Chief. Therefore, the AF Officer had to be real careful in his statement to the media. If she by chance had a Obama sticker on her car and he slammed her confidence, we all have seen what has happen to Generals that have spoken-out against the regime. I'm a old military guy and can read between the lines on this one. SHE WAS SCARED SHIT-LESS!!!!

Damn, I missed that quote by either of them, I can think of several reasons for her to be anxious, none of which have much to do with her experience or currency. He was the author and she was the pilot who assumed the job as pic. He volunteered as her "assistant pilot' who I doubt had any currency in a 73 other than a pax. Oh, and yes, we shouldn't forget that maybe she and the and the disabled pic. might have had a professional relationship and codependency shared in the cockpit. Maybe she was just a little worried that her friend and partner's life was in jeopardy, they weren't flying an hospital CCU and he wasn't going to get better until he was at least deplaned and put in the hands of the fire department.

I too am getting a littlle disgusted that I can't have a simple conversation without a poliical element being slid in and changing the topic. I'm not fond of the current policies being touted by the admin. Maybe we can change that in November. Until then we can only encourage better men to challenge the needed jobs.

I just wonder why they needed to specify that the bomber pilot was off-duty. It's not like he's going to be on-duty sitting in the cabin of a 737. They're notoriously deficient of ordnance and hardpoints after all.

Sounds like a very well handled event to a happy conclusion all round. This allows me to say on a lighter note that in my various Airlines' (F27,F28,B737,7B47) `Crew Incapacitation' Checklists, there were always a few unwritten immediate actions for Captain Incapacitation.

1: Establish real `Incapacitation' (Can be very hard to tell with some Skippers!).2: Restrain away from controls and call for assistance from crew.3: Start a stopwatch; Most important! It's all Command time from now on!4 Upon arrival of assistance, The Command words are `Help me get this Dead/Sick/Grumpy B...... out of MY seat!'.5: Decide on the level of resuscitation/care you wish applied to said Skipper (This will depend on your respective positions on the Seniority list, personal likes/dislikes/morality should not be allowed to interfere with this crucial decision. If unsure, the default is `Minimal'! Written with tongue firmly in cheek well done both, and of course Cabin Crew. It looks like they handled their end excellently.^ Get on with flying `Your' Aeroplane!

As an aside, any help is good help, our senior CC were trained in basic checklist use, and a PPL with 200 Hrs has invaluable knowledge of checklists, Radio Procs, Swithchery Flap/Gear selection etc. which would be invaluable. If you don't know the Airfield, ASK, a follow-me will be eagerly provided by our ATC colleagues!

people think the copilot is an idiot. The FO can fly the plane by his/her self just fine without the captain there. Where i retired from the only thing that seperated the PIC from SIC was a date of hire. BOTH were PIC trained.

I had an acquaintance on the Miami to London route for AAL. He was in fact, their oldest FO at the time. According to him, if he stepped up to captain, he would loose his seniority and his choice assignments. Don't blame him, he was also a sail-boater on the Chesapeake Bay. :)

Great story but why didn't the F/O declare an emergency? And as far as not knowing where to taxi...what about assistance from ground control or UAL dispatch? Too much info missing in this article. But "kudos" go out to the whole flight crew and Gongol for being on the same page in this emergency situation. CRM definitely was in position...even with Gongol.

Unless I am mistaken, this was written by a military newspaper, with emphasis on the actions of an off duty military pilot on board. Hence we seem to be lacking a lot of info on the FO/temporary captain's actions. That said, she did a heck of a job but then again, she did what she was trained to do.

If true, the FO made one huge mistake. She did not tell ATC the real nature of the emergency. As stated in the article ATC had no idea the real emergency. There should have been enough response vehicles out there that they wouldn't have to taxi anywhere.

I saw that and have a hard time with it. ATC generally needs to know the nature of the emergency when clearing for the diversion. That said, they may have just told them medical emergency and not elaborated but even with that, there should have been a response of some type.

It's all about the drama! Journalists think they know what went on and they often have misled the public. Don't judge the PIC. Beit the F/O or Captain. The F/O happened to be a woman, who happened to be in a situation where she was the PIC. I wonder what people would say if she were a man???

I missed the media bent. Fact is, this pilot did just what she was trained to do and has been doing for some years, my bet. The B-1 pilot expedited the landing by functioning as the F/O or co=pilot. AF pilots may have different ways of doing things but they are still familiar with check lists and VHF radios. The object of the exercise was to put the aircraft on the ground as quickly as practicable with all nuts, bolts , all SOB in tact and in position and to get emergency medical help for the stricken PIC. Due to her presence, skills, experience and currency she was able to put a loaded 73 safely on the runway without the need for even an inspection. In other words, she's a pilot

You bet. It's the single thing I want from the pilot, train engineer, ships captain, or bus driver driving what ever I'm on whether as crew or passenger. As for where to taxi, ground should have been all over that. New headline " UAL Flight Lands Safely". How mundane.

Agree with you Mark. Although, I question the purpose of the article. Situations like this happen all the time. This made the news because the F/O was a woman. It's pretty obvious to me. Now if the F/O was a man...I don't think we would be having this conversation. Must have been a slow day in the Aviation world. It's about sensationalism and make the article more grandiose than it really was. Sparkie...you hit the nail on the head. She did her job and did it well. And Joel...that would be interesting if the reporter was a woman. But we can wonder all we want and it won't change the outcome. It most likely would have been worded differently...the enfisis of gender could go either way. But, my eyes, I don't care what gender the pilot is as long as they have the coping skills to react to a situation with professionalism. Like I said before in a previous post...the entire crew assessed the conditions and reacted to the situation as a team. UAL has an exceptional training criteria for pilots and Flight Attendants. And they work together at the training facility...that's where the CRM comes in. So the whole crew is singing the same hymnal. It's runs like a well oiled machine.

Apprehensive maybe, scared little girl no. She wouldn't have UAL right seat if she wasn't qualified. All of us, regardless of gender, get a little nervous when we do something the first time, especially if a totally unfamiliar situation. This was written by a military newspaper reporter highlighting the military man, when, in actuality, the FO was the boss. It was overlooked by some in the article, but she had command/control when he came into the cockpit and asked him what he flew, assessing his qualifications before she let him sit down.

Are you kidding me.. No wonder you got down voted.... She shot a visual approach and hand flew it... Note, she did not leave the gear at a sea wall, or any other wall... She made a great landing. Both did a great job in the cockpit and worked together as a team...

I would like to remind you that women have been just as capable in aviation as men. Some examples off the top of my head would include Stalin's Falcons (elite WWII Soviet women's fighter group), and Jacqueline Cochrane (female air racer and test pilot, largely noted for her flights in the F-104).

I've been considering that and I think a non pilot or an under-qualified pilot might get more in the way than be of real help. The B-1 pilot would be familiar with big iron check lists and some of the gizmos and goulatches not in a light twin or a single engine. I may be wrong and the learning curve may be shorter than I'm thinking, but in some cases no help is better than poor help. As for training senior F/As, you already have passengers screaming about baggage fees. You're looking at considerable expense for a great number of people plus a salary push. Finally, using people other than those mandated by FARs exposes the airline to huge law suit risk. I'll do you a favor and not even touch on that risk.

Yes and no. I've been involved in a few and on more than one occasion wished I didn't have to provide OJT for the one helping me. In most cases when dealing with a pair of spare hands, it would have been more efficient to do it all myself. These were competent folks for the most part. They just had no experiebnce and I had to even tell them where to look . By the time I did all thet I could have done it myself and had time to spare. Reading a check list, OK, but don't adjust the flaps, gear, breakers or brakes.

Yeah, if they triple the pay. BTW: there is no such thing as a "senior flight attendant"... there is only "the most senior flight attendant" on any flight. Flight attendants do not fly in regular groupings, we get mixed and matched, sometimes the grouping changes mid-trip. I've flown 4-day trips where the most "senior" FA was hired a year ago. Which makes your idea completely illogical, unless all FA's are trained to fly a plane, which makes them FO's and not FA's. And entitles them to the same pay. Which is WAY more than an FA gets paid. Basically, that's never going to happen.

You already have passengers screaming about baggage fees. You're looking at considerable expense for a great number of people plus a salary push. Finally, using people other than those mandated by FARs exposes the airline to huge law suit risk. I'll do you a favor and not even touch on that risk.

My comment, Mark, was merely hypothetical. If in the event the cockpit crew were incapacitated and there were no non-revenue, off line, military or OMC's on board...look at the cabin crew for someone with some flight hours in their logbook. In that hypothetical situation...I wouldn't be looking at lawsuits...I would do my best to get that bird on the ground. And yes, I am a private pilot and a retired F/A. I know that I could land the bird if I had to.

The threat of suit is not fromm you. Even a hard landing might excite a pax or two if they were aware. The most realistic part of the article was the B-1 pilot and the F/O sizing each other up. . I'm all but sure what was going through her noggin was the question" am I making more work for myself or will this person help create a solution? The landing has to be a real grease job while less time consuming than had she done it alone.

It's a difficult call and unique to the situation. Are four hands always better than 2? Are 2 heads always better thanone? I'm not sure a SEL student pilot would be much, if any help since you would probably have to direct every hand move. The instrument panel alone would be daunting. A gas engine piper or Cessnahas little in common with a twin engine 737 with AP, AT and other goodies. The jury is still out for me. Sometimes just some else being there is a help.

35 yrs commercial Cap here_ maybe 9,000 or so on 737..Have flown lots of legs solo due to brain-dead F/O..Nonetheless_Official Attaboys to F/O & Military guy.btw_ None of the gals I flew with would give a sh8t about being awarded an Attaboyinstead of an AttaGirl_ They just liked being pilots.

I meant that he is the kind of person who respected the input of his wife. The John Wayne stereotypical hero only pauses to kiss the "little woman" goodbye as he dashes off to heroic destiny. This guy consults her.

Maybe I'm reading too much into that ..... but I admit I might not double check with my husband before I offered my help.

I think that she became PIC, assumed the duties of the Captain, but not the rank, privileges and paygrade. There was a temporary 3rd Lt who was cashiered from the Navy in 1812. A midshipman on a training cruise took his fatally injured Captain belowdecks without orders. The entire command structure was wiped out in a broadside, which made him the Commanding Officer. As CO absent his post, he was cashiered.

Is that a rhetorical question? I'm asking just because it was never stated the Captain had experienced an in-air cardiac incident. The reference was by Gongol: "Gongol immediately thought the pilot was suffering some serious cardiac trauma. " I believe that was the only cardiac reference in the article.

A 6 month recovery period has to elapse before certification. Pilots must obtain a special medical certificate and prove to the flight surgeon that duties can be performed without endangering public safety. Extra testing would be done, as well, to show that he/she are still safe to operate the aircraft.

SOP says to remain in your current seat until after landing. After landing change seats only if necessary to taxi. In the case of the Airbus, the copilot can remain in their seat to the gate. There is a tiller on both sides. B-737 copilots must change seats to operate the tiller.

Rudder pedals on Transports are not connected to the nose wheel, as they are on small aircraft. For example the rudders pedals on an Airbus A320 can move the nose wheel 6 degrees. in comparison, the tiller can move the nose wheel 97 degrees. The exact number of degrees varies with groundspeed. Taxiing a transport close to obstacles by rudder pedals alone is not possible. If you are unfamiliar with transports, use of wheel brakes to steer is for the most part useless as well. If the tiller is inop, you have to be towed.

Never knew this happened and I live here. Just read and searched FlighAware and found it was posted. Holy Mother of *** something out of a movie. Amazing. Can't imagine being in the plane and that coming over the loud speaker. Sounds Hell of a job Capt. Mark Gongol. I believe you were on that plane for a reason that day.

So okay, here's a comment that's sure to send a bucketful of indignant comments: Good for her, job well done-I agree with all that. Thank the Lord she kept her head about her. However, she just did her job, didn't she. That's what she's there for. I've never been called a hero for doing my job.